Improvement in fruit-boxes



josHuA H. MARVIL.

Improvement in Fruit Boxes.

No. 119,872. Patented 0ct.1'0, my

WI TNESSEJ [Nu-N70: wm/wMW/% v .(JM 6 Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHUA H. MARVIL, OF LAUREL, DELAWARE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FRUlT-B OXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 119,872, dated October 10, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSHUA H. MARVIL, of Laurel, in the county of Sussex and State of Delaware, have invented a new anduseful Improved Fruit or Berry-Box; and I do hereby declare the following to be a clear and exact description thereof, sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of theimproved fruit or berry-box. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the perforated sheets in position preparatory to forming the box.

Heretofore boxes and baskets designed for holding fruit have been constructed from a series of thin sheets of wood or veneers arranged parallel with each other and at stated distances apart, said parallel strips being arranged upon and crossing at right angles a similarly-arranged series of strips by this arrangement open spaces between the two were formed, so that the fruit, to a certain extent, was subjected to ventilation; but baskets or boxes thus constructed must necessarily, owing to their many parts, be expensive, and the parts subjected to warpage, and at the same time be somewhat deficient in ventilation.

To improve upon such and at the same time produce a neat, durable, and cheaply-constructed article is the mainobject of the present invention. To this end the invention consists in forming the box of two or more single or separate sheets of paste or Bristol-board or thin veneers of wood crossing each other at right angles, the ends of which, when bent up, forming the four respective sides of the box, the sheets constituting the same being first perforated with a series of openings of any desired shape or configuration, so as to effect a thorough ventilation of the fruit or berries in the box, either for transportation or for exposing the same for sale. The sheets of pasteboard or thin sheets of Wood which are employed to construct the box are selected and made of a length and width corresponding to the size of the box desired to be made. They are then arranged one on top of the other upon a suitable stand or block, when they are subjected to the action of hollow cutting-tools operated by hand or machinery, the form of the opening produced being governed by the form of the cuttingtool employed. When a downward stroke is given with sufficient force the openings will be produced, and as all the sheets are of the same length and width the openings of one sheet will uniformly correspond with the openings of another sheet, when the said sheets are removed, and arranged and secured at right angles to each other.

In the accompanying drawing, Arepresents the bottom, and B the top sheets of the box, either or both of which may be of Bristol or pasteboard, or of thin sheets of wood. These parts are arranged together one on top of the otherthat is, to say, they cross each other at or about right angles, and are secured together at their bottoms by means of glue or other adhesive compound, or by rivets or nails, as may be desired. WVhen thus far completed the surface of the respective ends A B, at or about the points a a, are subjected to the action of a proper tool, whereby a transverse incision or indentation is made, so that the said ends A B can be readily bent upward and assume a vertical or inclined position with reference to the bottom portions A B. When these ends are thus arranged one or more strips of pasteboard or thin wood, 0 O, are passed around the top portion of the box, either or both upon the outside or inside, and are secured in position by means of adhesive compounds or rivets. Instead of the band encircling the entire body of the box, corner braces may be used instead; but for strength and durability the continuous pieces will be found most effective in use, as the top portion of the box will always be firm and retain its given original shape or form. The perforated ends A B are preferably inclined outwardly from each other, so that when joined together there will be formed at each corner open spaces D, larger at the top than at the bottom, for the purpose of assisting and producing a thorough and continuous ventilation or draught throughout the box and the berries or fruit contained therein. By perforating the parts with the many openings I am enabled to construct the box from two pieces of material, and at the same time a complete and effective ventilation is produced throughout all portions, owing to the fact that I am enabled to form the openings close together, and thus expose the major portion of the fruit to the action of the air; and by so perforating the box I do not diminish its strength or durability for use, handling, or transporting.

In form of opening produced I do not confine 

